"The Wicker Man," 1973

"The Wicker Man" is remembered for two things: Its horrific climax and unsettlingly chilling build-up. It tells the story of an uptight policeman who travels to a remote Scottish island to find a missing girl. He discovers that its inhabitants practice dark pagan rituals and suspects a conspiracy against him. The final scene is jaw-dropping, even if you suspect what might be about to happen.

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"Rosemary's Baby," 1968

Mia Farrow stars in this Roman Polanski classic in which a woman finds out that she is pregnant with the devil's child. Farrow's involvement in the film resulted in her divorce from Frank Sinatra, who wanted her to stop working after they got married. Despite its themes – Satanism and the supernatural – the film's strength lies in its ability to convey relatable topics such as self-doubt, paranoia and consequent isolation.

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"The Texas Chainsaw Massacre," 1974

Tobe Hooper's "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" has all the hallmarks of a terrifying film: A faceless villain, cannibalism and a real-life inspiration. Leatherface, the killer, was based on the harrowing crimes of the American murderer and bodysnatcher Ed Gein, which obviously makes the film all the scarier. It was banned from numerous cinemas because of its extreme violence.

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"Candyman," 1992

There is something about urban legends that make for great horror stories, as proven by "Candyman." A researcher seeks to uncover the truth behind the eponymous murderer, who appears if you say his name five times in front of a mirror. Visually shocking, this is truly the stuff of nightmares.

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"A Nightmare on Elm Street," 1984

Directed by Wes Craven, "A Nightmare on Elm Street" stars Robert Englund as Freddy Krueger, a burnt serial killer who uses a glove decorated in razors to massacre his victims in their dreams prompting their deaths in the real world. The glove was apparently inspired by his cat, after he saw it clawing the sofa one night. The film also sees Johnny Depp make his feature-film debut.

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"The Thing," 1982

When the sci-fi horror "The Thing" was first released it was massively overshadowed by "ET," which was released around the same time. Now, it has achieved cult status, which is unsurprising considering the stomach-churning special effects and play on paranoia.

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"Psycho," 1960

"Psycho's" shower scene is arguably the most iconic murder sequence of all time – you won't feel safe in yours for days after watching this Alfred Hitchcock thriller. The film plays on the fear of the body-next-door, the idea that a killer could be the person sitting next to you.

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"Halloween," 1978

The slasher movie "Halloween" stars Jamie Lee Curtis in her first film. It starts with a six-year-old boy, Michael Myers, murdering his sister before being committed. He returns to his hometown 15 years later to conduct a vicious killing spree.

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"The Shining," 1980

Jack Nicholson delivers one of his most memorable performances in Stanley Kubrick's adaptation of Stephen King's famed horror novel. King hated it, arguing that the story's themes were badly handled. The shooting process was arduous; Kubrick forced Shelley Duvall to film one scene 127 times (a world record) and Nicholson was fed a diet of his least favourite food, cheese sandwiches, to constantly keep him in "a state of agitation." The film-maker was also given a slew of Worst Director awards for the film. However, time has stood the film in good stead and it is now regarded as one of the best horror films ever.

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"The Exorcist," 1973

Arguably one of the most renowned films of all time, "The Exorcist" prompted more controversy than most. Ambulances were kept on stand-by outside cinemas for prospective fainters, sick bags were supplied at screenings in case of queasy customers and the film's director, William Friedkin, was accused of corrupting young minds. It doesn't get much more gruesome than a possessed child vomiting blood.